Marketing Advice We Share with Small Businesses

Kate Lloyd
5 hours ago
3 min read

If you’re a small business owner, chances are you’ve been told you should be doing more marketing. More posts, more emails, more platforms, more everything. The problem is, very few people explain where to start, what actually matters, or how to fit marketing around running a business.

We work with small businesses across lots of different industries, and while every business is unique, the advice we share tends to come back to the same core principles.

Know Who You’re Talking To

Before you can market your business effectively, you need to know who you’re marketing to. This sounds obvious, but it’s one of the most common things we see businesses skip over.

Your products or services might be great, but if your message isn’t reaching the right people, your efforts won’t deliver the results you’re hoping for. This is where understanding your ideal customer really matters.

An ideal customer isn’t just someone who could buy from you, it’s someone who genuinely needs what you offer, values it, and is likely to come back again. When you’re clear on that person, your messaging becomes more focused, your content feels more natural, and you stop trying to appeal to everyone at once.

This clarity shapes everything else, from the tone of your website to the platforms you use and the content you create.

Set Marketing Goals Before Choosing Tactics

It’s tempting to dive straight into marketing activity. Posting on social media, sending emails, or updating your website can feel productive, but without clear goals it’s hard to know what’s actually working.

We often see businesses say they want “more social media” or “better marketing”, but what they really want is better visibility or more confidence in how they present their business.

Setting clear marketing goals gives your activity purpose and it helps you decide where to spend your time. Without goals, marketing becomes a guessing game, and that’s when it starts to feel frustrating and time consuming.

Don’t Overlook Email Marketing

With so much focus on social media, email marketing is often underestimated. But for small businesses, it remains one of the most effective ways to communicate with customers.

Email is direct, personal and not controlled by constantly changing algorithms. It’s a reliable way to keep your audience informed about new products, services, promotions or events, and it helps you stay visible to people who already know your business.

You don’t need to email constantly, and it doesn’t need to be complicated. Even a simple, well-written update sent consistently can build trust and keep your business front of mind.

Local and Organic Marketing Still Matters

Marketing doesn’t only happen online. Local and organic efforts can have a huge impact, especially for small businesses.

Encouraging happy customers to leave reviews builds trust and supports local search visibility. Partnering with complementary local businesses can introduce you to new audiences through collaborations, giveaways or joint events. Attending in-person networking events or community meetups helps build relationships and brand awareness in a more human way.

These activities might feel small, but over time they build credibility and recognition, and often faster than chasing big numbers online.

Measure What Matters and Adjust As You Go

You don’t need to track everything, but you do need to pay attention to what’s working. Monitoring a few key metrics, such as website traffic, enquiries, email engagement or social interaction, helps you understand where your efforts are paying off.

Regularly reviewing this information allows you to refine your approach. If something isn’t working, stop doing it. If something is delivering results, lean into it. Marketing works best when it’s flexible and responsive, not fixed.